Finding the Right Stuff

Having seen the NF-104A accident depicted in the motion picture The Right Stuff, Tony Moore and Pete Merlin were very interested in visiting the crash site. Yeager's ejection from the stricken Starfighter was a part of Edwards lore.

Tony and Pete researched the accident extensively, combing through records at the Air Force Flight Test Center History Office and interviewing people who had been involved with the Aero-Space Trainer program.

In November 1992, Tony had an opportunity to search for the crash site. While exploring desert north of Mojave, he found an impact crater surrounded by aircraft debris. After a cursory examination he determined that the material definitely came from a Lockheed F-104. There were numerous pieces of internal structure and external skin. Some of the latter had stenciled markings. Part numbers and data plates confirmed the aircraft type.

Tony returned to the site with Pete in December for a more detailed investigation. This time they found numerous items from the cockpit, some of which were specific to the rocket-augmented NF-104A.

NF-104A LEFT FORWARD PANEL FRAGMENTSTHESE PANEL FRAGMENTS INCLUDE SECTIONS FROM THE LANDING/TAXI LIGHTS SWITCH, ENGINE START/STOP SWITCH AND FOUR PIECES FROM THE LANDING GEAR EXTENSION/RETRACTION HANDLE

NF-104A ROLL DAMPER SWITCH COVERTHIS ROLL DAMPER SAFETY SWITCH COVER FROM THE REACTION CONTROL SYSTEM PANEL IS SHOWN IN ITS POSITION ON THE AIRCRAFT'S CENTER COCKPIT PANEL DRAWING AT RIGHT

NF-104A VERTICAL STABILIZER FRAGMENTFRAGMENT OF THE NF-104A's VERTICAL STABILIZER KNIFE SHARP LEADING EDGE.THIS SECTIONS LOCATION, FROM THE LOWER PART OF THE STABILIZER WHERE IT MEETS THE FUSELAGE IS CIRCLED AT RIGHT

NF-104A ROCKET THROTTLE PANEL FRAGMENTTHIS FRAGMENT OF THE NF-104A's LR-121 ROCKET THROTTLE PANEL WAS IDENTIFIED ON THE AIRCRAFTS INSTRUMENT PANEL DRAWING, SHOWN PARTILLY AT RIGHT. THE WORD "READY" FROM THE STAND-BY POSITION OF THE THROTTLE IS CIRCLED IN THE DRAWING AND IS VISIBLE ON THE PANEL FRAGMENT ABOVE

NF-104A FUSELAGE FRAGMENTS1.PIECES OF A CORNER AND SIDE OF BLACK NUMBER OR LETTER STENCILING 2.FRAGMENTS OF THE AIRCRAFT'S WING WHICH WAS PAINTED WHITE 3.FRAGMENT OF THE LETTER "E" FROM THE YELLOW "RESCUE" PLACARD

NF-104A CONTROL STICK SWITCHONE OF SIX PUSH BUTTON SWITCHES LOCATED EITHER ON THE CONTROL STICK GRIP, ENGINE THROTTLE OR THE RCS CONTROL HANDLE

NF-104A ENGINE BYPASS HANDLETHIS HANDLE WAS USED TO OPEN OR CLOSE FLAPS THAT BYPASSED THE J-79 JET ENGINE DURING THE AIRCRAFT'S ZOOM CLIMB. THE RED "BYPASS" LABEL WAS FOUND AT THE CRASHSITE SEPARATELY AND LATER MATCHED TO THE ADHESIVE MARKS ON THE HANDLE